30 of the world's best national parks

By Jareen Imam, CNN

Updated 1224 GMT (1924 HKT) June 13, 2014

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Iguazu Falls National Park, Argentina – Although the United States established the first national park in 1872, countries throughout the world have designated areas to protect and preserve. iReporters shared photos of the best national parks they've visited across the globe. The Iguazu Falls of Argentina's Iguazu National Park are surrounded by subtropical jungle. Across the Iguazu River, you'll find the Brazilian counterpart of this national park.

Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina – Argentina's oldest national park, Nahuel Huapi National Park, lies at the foothills of the Andes. Dirkse says a "must do" at the park is traveling through the Seven Lakes Route and camping outdoors.

Tikal National Park, Guatemala – You can see one of the largest archaeological sites of pre-Columbian Mayan ruins at Tikal National Park in Guatemala. "Climbing to the top of several temples is permitted and gives fantastic views of the other temples peeking over the canopy," Dirkse said. "Be sure to check out pictures of the park when it was first rediscovered after being overgrown by jungle for centuries."

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Rapa Nui National Park, Chile – Rapa Nui National Park on Chile's remote Easter Island, known for its mysterious, centuries-old giant statues, should be on everyone's bucket list, says Katie Van Fleet, who visited in July 2013. "I was in such awe when I stepped outside the car and saw the ENTIRE Milky Way like I had never seen it before," she wrote on CNN iReport.

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Torres del Paine National Park, Chile – You can see mountains, glaciers, lakes and rivers in Chilean Patagonia from Torres del Paine National Park. Dirkse says hiking through the classic W trek will take you on a sightseeing adventure. "The mountains in Torres del Paine National Park are some of the most beautiful mountains in the world," she says.

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Canaima National Park, Venezuela – Canaima National Park is the second largest park in Venezuela and borders Brazil and Guyana. Joe Scarangella says a highlight of visiting the park is seeing Angel Falls. "A national park needs to not only preserve nature, but also capture the imagination," he says.

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Galapagos National Park, Ecuador – Dirkse says the variety of animal life in Ecuador's Galapagos National Park is astounding. She advises travelers to take a multiday boat trip throughout the islands. "Be sure to explore both the land and to snorkel, where you'll have the amazing opportunity to swim with sea lions, penguins, turtles and more," she says.

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Cairngorms National Park, Scotland – Cairngorms National Park is the largest park in the British Isles. Kimberli Ann Yount Goodner says you can hike through the whole park. She says one thing to keep an eye out for is a large stone on the side of a hill that reads, "Take a moment to behold, as still skies or storms unfold, in sun rain sleet or snow, warm your soul before you go."

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Goreme National Park, Turkey – A hot air balloon trip is a popular way to take in the stunning views of Central Turkey's Goreme National Park and its unusual volcanic rock formations, known as "fairy chimneys."

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Tatra National Park, Poland – A sleigh rider is carried through the Malopolska region of Tatra National Park in Poland. Adrian Lukas Smith took this photo and works closely with the park. He says his favorite part of this region is the landscape and the Tatra Mountains, which are a natural border between Poland and Slovakia.

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Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia – Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe. Thai Dang says the UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its 16 lakes, which are arranged in cascades and are connected to each other. "The color of the lakes change from azure to green or blue, depending on the sunlight, angle or the quantity of minerals and organisms," she says.

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Victoria Falls National Park, Zambia – If you're brave enough, you can jump into Devil's Pool, just above the falls on the Zambian side in Victoria Falls National Park, as Dirkse did here. "When the water is low, you can jump into the pool, where a natural rock wall stops you just at the edge of the falls," Dirkse said. "It's an exhilarating experience."

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Kruger National Park, South Africa – South Africa's Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. The park has a variety of wildlife. Dirkse says taking a safari is a great way to explore this vast park. You might even be able to see lions feasting on their kill.

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Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia – "Completely otherworldly" is how Estin Yang describes his visit to Sossusvlei in Namibia's Namib-Naukluft National Park. He and his wife camped out at the gates two hours before sunrise to make sure they could reach the sand dunes in the perfect light.

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Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe – Lauren Haupt says the elephants at Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe have a reputation for being exceptionally relaxed around humans. She says elephants walk through the camp in search of tree pods on the camp floor. "At night the elephants come close enough to rub up against the tent," she said.

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Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda – Heidi Meadows describes Uganda's Murchison Falls National Park as unspoiled. She says a "must-do" here is taking a ride down the Nile River. "Seeing elephants, crocodiles and hippos from that vantage point is an unequaled experience," she says. The park is known for its diverse wildlife, which has started to recover from a massacre by poachers and troops under the rule of former Ugandan President Idi Amin.

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Halgurd Sakran National Park, Iraq – Halgurd Mountain in Halgurd Sakran National Park is the highest mountain in Iraq. Its peak is covered with snow throughout the year. The springs and lakes around the mountain attract many visitors.

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Ein Avdat National Park, Israel – At Ein Avdat National Park in Israel's Negev desert, you'll find pools of cool water among a hot expanse of desert. "My favorite feature of the park is a splendid view of the pool that mirrors the sky, the rocks and the lush scenery," Joel Camaya says.

Click the double arrows below to see more of the world's best national parks.

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Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China – Suds Chetty says one of the most beautiful places he has visited is China's Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Located in the Hunan Province, the park's most notable feature is the pillar-like rock formations that are the result of erosion caused by the moist weather.

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Naejangsan National Park, South Korea – South Korea's Naejangsan National Park is named after the Naejangsan Mountain. Sampa Guha Majumdar says the park is beautiful to visit in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. She also says the park's Buddhist temple attracts many visitors.

Minneriya National Park, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka's Minneriya National Park was originally a wildlife sanctuary. During the dry season, elephants are attracted to the park's grass fields. Besides elephants, which Geshan Weerasinghe says are the biggest highlights of the park, visitors can also see deers, bears, peacocks, birds and buffaloes.

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Sundarbans National Park, India – India's Sundarbans National Park is in the Indian region of West Bengal and is adjacent to Sundarbans Reserve Forest in Bangladesh. The park is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger and in the water you'll find plenty of saltwater crocodiles.

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Bannerghatta National Park, India – Speaking of crocodiles, Sujay Govindaraj photographed some basking in India's Bannerghatta National Park. A portion of the park is dedicated as a biological reserve for animals and plants in the region.

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Bandhavgarh National Park, India – Bandhavgarh National Park in India has a large leopard breeding population, and has the largest tiger population in India. Not a fan of big cats? Well, you can also say hello to the various Asian elephants roaming through the park.

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Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia – Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia is home to one of the largest sandstone monoliths in the world. Anusha Mookherjee says the park feels incredibly spiritual. From her experience, the best time to visit is at sunrise or sunset. "It is extremely stunning at sunset when the rocks glow a deep, fiery red," she said.

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Blue Mountains National Park, Australia – Australia's Blue Mountains National Park is home to the Three Sisters sandstone peaks, towering amid the cliffs of the Jamison Valley. Take a walk from there into the rain forest, where you're surrounded by waterfalls, says Brandon Braun, who visited in 2008. "The quiet and peacefulness of the area is enchanting."

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Paparoa National Park, New Zealand – Paparoa National Park is on the South Island of New Zealand and is known for its coastal forest, limestone cliffs and canyons. When Michael Zamecnik was visiting, a thunderstorm swept over the area. "By the time we reached the heights above the cliffs of the coastline, I finally got the opportunity to take a photo of how majestic the coast actually looked," he said.

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Story highlights

Countries around the world have set aside land and resources for national parks

iReporters share photos of their favorite parks abroad

See the world's best national parks and find out why you need to visit them

From biking hundreds of miles in Patagonia to trekking across Myanmar, iReporter Anne Dirkse has set foot on all seven continents, and she's done it all on her own. The travel writer and photographer from Loveland, Colorado, spends months out of the year uncovering hidden gems in other countries, and says some of her favorite places to visit are national parks.

"I love nature, and the opportunity to experience its beauty, often in remote places, far from the noise and light pollution that so many of us are accustomed to in our daily lives," she said.

The United States may have been first to establish a national park -- Yellowstone, in 1872 -- but governments around the world have reserved thousands of acres supporting wildlife conservation, protecting natural beauty and promoting ecotourism.

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As the summer travel season kicks off, Dirkse and others shared their photos of their favorite national parks outside the United States. Having visited more countries and parks than she can count, Dirkse had a few tips for travelers interested in touring parks abroad:

1. Take your time: "It is very easy to make your itinerary so tight that you don't really see anything at all, especially when you've come a long way to get there," Dirkse said. "Sometimes it is best to experience one thing slowly than many things quickly, and with national parks, the more slowly you can move the better."

2. Befriend locals: Ask local people their favorite places in the park, and listen to their stories, she suggested.

3. Sleep outside: "Almost all national parks allow camping, though rules and facilities vary widely, and for me it is the best chance to experience nature at its most serene, and often local culture," Dirkse said.

4. When it comes to weather, plan for the worst: Even rainy days can be pleasant if you have a hat and waterproof clothes, she said. Her best day at Rapa Nui National Park on Chile's Easter Island "was filled with intermittent downpours ... but between the rains, the light and clouds were incredible."

5. Know your limits: "It's important to understand that you are responsible for your own safety and that the precautions to prevent you from doing something stupid, or the services to rescue you in an emergency are often very different from what you expect back home," she said.

Do you have beautiful photos of national parks from around the world? Share them with CNN iReport and your photo may be added to the gallery above.